University course · real outcomes from HESA / Discover Uni · part of Careermash

University degree

Chemical Engineering

London South Bank University · London

Qualification

Degree

Length

4 yrs

UK fees / yr

£9,535

Study

full-time

Robin · your guide

Here's the honest picture on this course - what you'd study, whether you'd likely get in, what it pays, and where it leads. Everything's real data.

About this course

Chemical engineering is the discipline that turns chemical knowledge into practical processes, designing and operating the industrial systems that produce the materials, fuels, medicines, and foods that modern life depends on. It combines chemistry, physics, and mathematics with engineering problem-solving to address questions of scale, efficiency, safety, and environmental impact in chemical and process industries. Where chemistry asks what happens at the molecular level, chemical engineering asks how those reactions can be made to happen reliably, safely, and at the volumes that industry requires.

At London South Bank University this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, providing additional scientific and mathematical preparation for students who need to strengthen their foundations before the main degree. The programme has a strong track record in securing placements and graduate roles with major employers in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and process industries, including multinational pharmaceutical companies, chemical manufacturers, and energy companies. A sandwich year with a work placement is incorporated into the degree, giving you professional experience in an industrial chemical engineering setting before you complete your studies.

Chemical engineering graduates are in demand across a very wide range of industries. Pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, food and drink, water treatment, renewable energy, agrochemicals, and materials science all employ chemical engineers in significant numbers. Roles include process engineer, plant engineer, production manager, and technical specialist, with strong progression opportunities and well-established routes towards chartered engineer status.

The combination of scientific depth, technical engineering knowledge, and practical industrial experience that London South Bank's programme provides is well aligned with what employers in the chemical and process industries are looking for. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study or move into consultancy and research roles.

Could you get in?

The grades students arrived with

48-63 pts10%

64-79 pts20%

80-95 pts15%

96-111 pts15%

112-127 pts10%

128-143 pts5%

144-159 pts5%

How they qualified

95% got in with A-levels. The rest came in a mix of ways:

A-levels95%

other higher education5%

Could I get in? Try your grades

120 UCAS pts

Pay & prospects

85%

In work or further study after

96%

Continue past first year

86%

Student satisfaction

What graduates earn over time

£28,000

3 years on

£33,000

5 years on

What graduates actually go on to do % of leavers

Engineering professionalsHighly skilled35%

Administrative occupations5%

Process, plant and machine operatives5%

Business and public service associate professionalsHighly skilled20%

Managers, directors and senior officialsHighly skilled10%

Information Technology ProfessionalsHighly skilled10%

Conservation and environment professionalsHighly skilled5%

Welfare and housing associate professionalsHighly skilled5%

What students say National Student Survey

86%

of students are satisfied with the course overall

Teaching76%

Assessment & feedback74%

Academic support87%

Well organised90%

Learning resources83%

Student community74%

In students' own words

★★★★★

Would do it again

Honestly, one of the best decisions I've made. The best part: small-group tutorials really push your thinking. If I'm honest, the timetable has some awkward 9am / Friday afternoon slots. On the city — local cost of living is manageable if y…

Class of 2022 · Full-time

★★★★☆

Solid, with caveats

There's a lot to love, but it's not without its flaws. The best part: the cohort are bright and motivated, which makes the learning environment great. If I'm honest, the timetable has some awkward 9am / Friday afternoon slots. On the city —…

Final year · Full-time

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